Players have been following Colin Kaepernick’s 2016 lead and kneeling to bring awareness to police brutality and racial inequality in the country, but it has been misinterpreted as disrespecting the American flag and sparked the outrage specifically of the president and his right-wing base.

Vernon’s father is a retired police officer but he has been kneeling since Week 3 anyway after the president’s disrespectful comments about players prior to that week’s set of NFL games.

San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid (35) and wide receiver Marquise Goodwin (11) kneel during the performance of the national anthem before Sunday’s game against the Giants.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

Vernon also knelt last weekend at MetLife Stadium even though the Giants were doing their Salute to Service.

No players protested during the early games on Sunday.

The NFLPA had asked all players to observe a two-minute moment of silence before games to honor veterans.